This invention relates generally to a shape measuring tool and kit and more specifically to a measuring tool to measure the curvature of a body in the seat and hip area for fitting a person into pants better, especially jeans and shorts.
In 1853, during the California Gold Rush, Levi Strauss, a 24-year-old German immigrant, left New York for San Francisco with a small supply of dry goods with the intention of opening a branch of his brother's New York dry goods business. Shortly after arriving in San Francisco, Mr. Strauss realized that the miners and prospectors (called the “forty niners”) needed pants strong enough to last through the hard work conditions they endured. So, Mr. Strauss developed the now familiar jeans which he sold to the miners. The company he founded, Levi Strauss & Co., still sells jeans and is the most widely known jeans brand in the world. Levi's is a trademark of the Levi Strauss & Co.
Though jeans at the time of the Gold Rush were used as work clothes (which were relatively loose fitting since fashion was not a concern), jeans have evolved to be fashionably worn everyday by men and women, showing up on billboards, television commercials, and fashion runways. Fashion is one of the largest consumer industries in the U.S. and around the world. Jeans and related apparel are a significant segment of the industry.
As fashion, people want their jeans with a customized fit (e.g., “tight fitting jeans”). Good fitting jeans today have a form fit that is very different than, for example, the pants of the 1800s and early 1900s. Before, loose-fit or overly baggy pants and balloon dresses were the norm, since they were intended to hide or obscure the body shape. Today, modern technology has allowed the manufacture of off-the-shelf pants, jeans, and shorts having much better form fit, while at the same time being comfortable to wear.
Despite widespread success jeans have enjoyed, there is continuing desire to address the demands of the consumer even better. Consumers desire off-the-rack, form-fitting jeans for their own seat and hip shapes, without having to pay for custom tailoring. Existing jeans sizing systems, which may have addressed the market demand of the time they were developed, do not adequately address the demand of the modern consumer and their wide variety of body shapes.
It is challenging for consumers to find a pair of jeans that fit them, even if a consumer knows his or her pant size. Consumers shopping for clothes often are aware of this when trying on several pairs of pants, shorts, skirts, or shirts to find a comfortable and pleasing fit for them. Despite knowing their sizes, consumers may still need to try on several pairs of garments to get the “perfect” fit. Pants sizes come in different forms. For example, jean sizes can come in a number (e.g., 0, 1, 2, or higher) or may use a waist and inseam length measurement.
Further, different jeans have different leg openings such as boot cut, skinny, leggings, straight, skinny boot, or flare. There may be only one top block for each of these styles. A top block is a cut of the jean from the waistband through the hips and butt. Even if two people are the same size, they may not have the same proportions (e.g., waistband, hips, or butt measurements). For example, a person trying on a pair of pants may find that the waist fits, but the butt portion of the jeans do not, and another person may find that the waist does not fit, but the butt portion does.
There may be bunching or excess material in certain regions when the consumer tries on a pair of jeans. This may be because the jeans are too big or the inseam too long. There may also be pulling or creasing in certain regions when the consumer tries on a pair of jeans. This may be because the jeans are too tight. If the jeans are too tight, they will create a “muffin-top” and will not be flattering.
Consumers try on several pairs of pants, wasting time and perhaps not finding a pair worthy of purchasing. This makes it difficult for a person to find a nice fitting pair of pants. Knowing a consumer's shape will aid in the discovery of nice fitting garments. It would be beneficial to find a “perfect” fit for a consumer.
Therefore, there is a need for a shape measuring tool that assists the consumer in helping identify jeans having a proper fit.